Conversion Laws in India – Soon there may be proof and documents of conversion?

There are many people in India get converted from other religions to Hinduism for marriage and due to other reasons. But these conversions do not have legal approval. For example the converted person will not get benefits under the Hindu Marriage Act (HMA), 1955. Honorable courts in India faced numerous difficulties due to lack of proof and documents of conversion. Several divorce cases of inter-religious marriages are pending in the courts on the issue of conversion. To solve this problem, the 19th Law Commission under Justice P.V. Reddi, in its latest report on “Conversion/re-conversion to another religion — mode of proof” to the government has suggested a solution.

The Telegraph reports
The commission has said that within a month after the date of conversion, the converted person can send a declaration to the officer in charge of registration of marriages in the concerned area. The officer, in turn, shall exhibit a copy of the declaration on the notice board of the office till the date of confirmation. And within 21 days from the date of sending or filing the declaration, the person concerned can appear before the registering officer, establish his or her identity and confirm the contents of the declaration following which he or she can get the certificate of conversion from the registrar.

Many people have welcomed the Law commission’s recommendations. But some people have raised the question whether mere submission to a new religion can be considered as conversion.